Vaccine Personnel
All VFC provider sites must designate a a Provider of Record, a primary vaccine coordinator and at least one back-up vaccine coordinator who is able to perform the same responsibilities as the primary vaccine coordinator in the event that the primary person is unavailable. The Provider of Record should be the physician responsible for signing the Provider Agreement Form.
The vaccine coordinator and back-up must personally complete the following vaccine management activities or ensure the tasks are completed by other designated staff members:
Training and Communication
- Read and be familiar with the information in the VFC Provider Agreement, the Vaccine Storage and Handling Plan, resource materials posted on the NYSDOH VFC website, and any other communications sent from the NYSDOH Bureau of Immunization via mail or email.
- Serve as the provider's contact for the NYSDOH, including during site visits.
- Participate in training on VFC Program requirements.
- Train all staff at the practice on proper vaccine handling and storage.
- Obtain and maintain a New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS) account and complete required reporting in NYSIIS. Refer to section NYSIIS Requirements for VFC reporting.
- Ensure that all necessary documentation and reporting is properly completed, including, but not limited to, eligibility screening and doses administered reporting. Doses administered must be reported in NYSIIS within two weeks of administration.
- Keep the physician informed of VFC Program requirements and all compliance issues.
- Notify the NYSDOH immediately if there are changes at the practice (such as a change in the primary or back-up vaccine coordinator, practice name change, practice is moving to a new location, practice is being sold, physician is retiring, practice is merging with another practice or becoming part of a larger organization, patient profile changes).
Training Requirements
The NYS VFC Program has developed 17 online trainings to help inform providers on various aspects of the NYS VFC Program and Storage and Handling best practices.
- Renewing providers must complete 6 trainings annually. The VFC Program will set annual training completion deadlines for the re-enrollment process. Generally, annual provider re-enrollment is due by early January of each year. Staff in practices already enrolled and renewing their membership in VFC program should complete the 6 highlighted trainings indicated by an X in the blue column of the table below (Trainings #3, #5, #10, #11, #12, and #13).
- Whenever a change in key VFC staff occurs, such as a new VFC Provider of Record, a new vaccine coordinator or a new back-up, the new staff should complete the 12 highlighted trainings indicated by an X in the yellow column of the table below (trainings #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, and #17).
- Newly enrolling VFC providers must complete trainings as a part of their initial enrollment.Practices that are newly enrolling in the VFC Program should complete all 17 trainings as indicated by an X in the light purple column of the table below.
Be sure to also maintain documentation at your site that includes the # of each training completed, the name of each staff person who completed the training, and the date the training was completed.
Training Number/Title | Approx. Length (min) | Annual Renewal | Staff Change | Newly Enrolling | PDF Version |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. VFC Program Background and Enrollment | 12 | X | X | PDF Version | |
2. VFC Personnel and Training | 8 | X | X | PDF Version | |
3. VFC Provider Requirements | 15 | X | X | X | PDF Version |
4. Vaccine Management Plans | 9 | X | X | PDF Version | |
5. The Vaccine Cold Chain | 10 | X | X | X | PDF Version |
6. Selecting Vaccine Storage Units | 16 | X | PDF Version | ||
7. Setting up Vaccine Storage Units | 14 | X | PDF Version | ||
8. Selecting Temperature Monitoring Equipment | 13 | X | PDF Version | ||
9. Temperature Monitoring Device Calibration | 13 | X | PDF Version | ||
10. Monitoring Vaccine Storage Unit Temperatures | 13 | X | X | X | PDF Version |
11. Temperature Excursions | 15 | X | X | X | PDF Version |
12. Managing Vaccine Inventory | 15 | X | X | X | PDF Version |
13. Vaccine Orders | 12 | X | X | X | PDF Version |
14. Accepting a Vaccine Delivery | 9 | X | X | PDF Version | |
15. Vaccine Disposal and Returns | 8 | X | X | PDF Version | |
16. Vaccine Preparation | 14 | X | PDF Version | ||
17. Vaccine Transport | 12 | X | X | PDF Version |
Monitoring Vaccine Temperatures
- Ensure that temperatures inside of vaccine storage units are checked and recorded twice daily. Temperatures are required to be entered into the NYSIIS temperature log on at least a biweekly basis.
- Review vaccine temperature logs and downloaded data logger data on at least a weekly basis.
- Take immediate action if temperatures are outside of acceptable ranges.
- Implement the vaccine emergency plan, if necessary.
Receiving/Ordering Vaccines
- Be present when vaccine shipments are delivered and process vaccines into inventory.
- Ensure that the cold chain for safe storage and handling of vaccines has been maintained.
- Ensure the proper organizing and labeling of vaccine within the storage units, including the rotation of inventory to ensure that vaccine is used prior to expiration date and the clear separation of publicly-funded and privately-purchased vaccine. See Separation of Public and Private Vaccines.
- Perform routine cleaning of vaccine storage units.
- Conduct periodic physical inventory of all vaccines.
- Place vaccine orders using the NYSIIS Vaccine Ordering module.